This invention relates to an apparatus and process for transporting sample plates to and from a transfer position to enable the analysis of samples on a sample plate. More particularly, this invention provides such an apparatus and method for simultaneously transporting one sample plate from a point of sample analysis and another sample plate to the point of sample analysis.
Prior to the present invention, a sample plate, usually containing a plurality of liquid or dried samples, has been transported into an analytical apparatus to a point of analysis of samples on the plate by positioning the plate on a support, followed by moving the plate to the point of analysis. After the sample analysis is completed, the sample plate is removed from the analytical apparatus to expose the sample plate which then is lifted from the support. A new sample plate is then positioned on the support and the transport cycle is repeated. Thus, the position for removing the analyzed sample plate from the analytical apparatus is the same position as the start position of the sample plate.
This mode of transporting sample plates is undesirable in certain applications since the analytical apparatus is not utilized during the time required to replace the sample plate in the apparatus with a new sample plate. This, in turn, results in a lowering of the potential analytical capacity of the analytical apparatus. Since presently available analytical apparatus are expensive, and since many applications require rapid or high throughput analysis, this results in increased cost for analyzing samples on a per sample basis.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and process for delivering sample plates to an analytical apparatus wherein the time required to deliver sample plates seriatim to a point of sample analysis is minimized. Such a process and apparatus would speed the analysis and thus reduce the cost of analyzing samples on the sample plates.